AI-Generated Video Falsely Claims Croatian Physician Markotić Murdered, Endorses Joint Pain Product
A deepfake video posted on Facebook on October 17, 2024, falsely claimed that Croatian physician Alemka Markotić had been murdered and featured AI-generated footage showing her endorsing a joint pain product called Hondrosol. Markotić, director of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, has been repeatedly targeted by fraud schemes using synthetic media, according to fact-checkers.
What happened
On October 17, 2024, a video was posted to Facebook appearing to show a segment from Croatian TV show 'Stanje nacije' featuring host Zoran Šprajc reporting that physician Alemka Markotić had been murdered at the entrance to her home.
The video contained AI-generated deepfake content showing Markotić in a purported exclusive interview endorsing a joint pain medication called Hondrosol, claiming it cures arthritis and joint pain more effectively than competing products.
Reported impact
The video promoted a commercial product through false statements attributed to a real physician using synthetic media.
Index analysis
Markotić is director of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and has been a frequent target of internet fraud schemes based on AI-generated videos, according to fact-checking outlet Faktograf.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.